


The Cost of Coal

by AslansCompass



Category: The Hunger Games
Genre: 75th annual hunger games, 75th hunger games au, Gen, third quarter quell au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:40:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23149414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AslansCompass/pseuds/AslansCompass
Summary: After the shocking conclusion of the 74th annual Hunger Game, President Snow knew District Twelve had the power to bring the Capitol down. But the upcoming Quarter Quell gave him an opportunity to send Katniss a message.On the 75th anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that the choices of one person can change the lives of all, the male and female tributes will be reaped only from the District of the immediately previous Victor.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. Prologue: Quarter Quell

Katniss leans against Pita's shoulder, with Haymitch watching from the corner. A mandatory broadcast at this time of year? Wedding previews, surely? That's all it can be. Just more pretty dresses and empty smiles.

And at first, she's right. But the footage cuts to President Snow, holding a small wooden box. As he opens it, he reintegrates the annual lecture about the war, the dark days, the Quarter Quells. Seventy-five years. Seventy-five. The next Quarter Quell.

But whatever it is, she's survived, she's made it. _They_ survived. 

Snow slits the envelope along the top edge, takes out a yellowing sheet of paper, unfolds it. 

> On the 75th anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that the choices of one person can change the lives of all, the male and female tributes will be reaped only from the District of the immediately previous Victor only.

The immediately previous Victor. 

The immediately previous Victor.

The immediately previous Victor.

The words take several minutes to filter through her ears and seep into her brain.

That means her.

_reaped only from the District of the immediately previous Victor._

District Twelve. 

reaped only from District Twelve.

Not two. Not even four, like Haymitch's Quell.

Twenty-four from District Twelve. 


	2. reactions

11

In the emptiness of Victor's Village, Seeder buries her head in her hands. _Only from District 12_. This year--this year--

This year, she won't have to mentor hopeless causes.

This year, she won't have to see the Careers celebrating spilled blood.

This year, she won't have to fail. 

10

Another year, another Hunger Games. Quarter Quell or not, the Capitol will have its fun. 

9

"What about us?"

The Peacekeepers couldn't tell who spoke first; the question soon echoes from every corner of the room.

"What about the tesserae?"

"The Victor's Portion?"

"We need that grain!"

8

Children stare at the screens, impossible hope rising in their hearts. No Reaping this year. They're safe. All of them, from the smallest twelve-year-old to the tallest, strongest eighteen-year-old. Safe.

(as safe as one can ever be in Panem)

7

Johanna may not be the sharpest ax in the forest, but even a child can connect these dots. Katniss. This is all because of Katniss. (And the boy, but Johanna isn't fooled. The girl is the one the Capitol hated.) 

6

The Peacekeepers call a curfew immediately after the broadcast ends. Six has always been one of the more troublesome Districts; morphling addicts, a large population, and completely reliant on imported foodstuffs. Even so, several posts are ransacked, prisoners are freed, and a shipment of steel is stolen.

5

No one knows what to say. One elderly man whacks his television, because surely he didn't hear right. That can't be the big announcement.

4

Mags, propped up in a chair, can barely see the screen. Her eyes are slightly glazed, drool dribbles down her chin, and one arm hangs limp at her side. The aide wonders if she even knows what's going on. 

3

No. No, no, no. This was all wrong. This was nothing they had planned for. Whatever had originally been in that box, they could have handled it. Beetee scowled. No one was going to rebel for _Twelve._

2

The Careers riot, spilling out of barracks and training grounds with weapons in their hands, the only weaponized group in any Districts. The Peacekeepers freeze, reluctant to fire on familiar faces. (Most Peacekeepers are 'graduates' of Career training, the official justification.) Some call in sick; some stand by and watch. Others break ranks and join the Careers. What are they, if not Victors?

1

Residents discuss the 'twist,' comparing it to the 50th Games (too simple) and the 25th (only interesting beforehand). An entire arena from one District? Now, there's something new. Something different. Entertaining, to be sure.

The Capitol

"Twelve?"

"What sort of Games will that be?"

"They've only won twice!"

"What are they going to do, sit down and starve at each other?"


	3. despair

Haymitch staggers outside, leaning heavily on the wall. He's drunk--he's always drunk--but he isn't drunk enough. Not for this. He imagines standing on that platform in six months, next to Effie as she reads out the names. As she reaches into the bowl not just once or twice, but again and again until the stage is full. Twelve Tributes.

Twelve from Twelve.

Twelve, Twelve, Twelve.

Twice times twelves makes... twelve twelves makes....

He punches a tree, barely noticing the pain. Too many, that's what it makes. Too goddamn many! 

Again and again and again. All these years. All these faces. Twenty-three years before Katniss and Peeta. And now, twenty-four more. 

He thought he'd won. He'd won in the arena and he'd won with Katniss and he'd won. He'd won!

The others, maybe they were lucky. Lucky to die quick, to die young.

But what could he do? Twelve, twelve, twelve.

 _The others_.

Yes, the others. They could do something. Had to do something.

He stumbles to another one of the empty houses, up the porch and in the front door. The cameras are watching--they're always watching--but he's done this before. Staggered into the wrong house while drunk, happy enough to have a roof and four walls. 

Inside, he forces himself to focus. Goes to the dustiest, tiniest corner and pries up a floorboard. Takes out a device no bigger than his hand. Wraps it in the baggy ends of his sleeve. Lurches back out, mumbling to himself. 

He's not as brave as Katniss. No slipping the fence for him. But over the years, he's had enough encounters with Peacekeepers to work out their patrols, find the dark places they never bother sweeping. And in one of those places, he takes the device out of his sleeve and turns it on. 

"Haymitch to District 13. Haymitch to District 13." But only static answers. 'Haymitch to 13, Haymitch to 13, answer me. Answer." He's crying now, cycling through the channels, trying to rouse someone--anyone--just one person. 

He doesn't hear anything until it's too late.

* * *

They next morning, Katniss and Peeta find him slumped on the front step of her house. His skin is cold and waxy, despite the early morning sun. She screams, yelling at him that this isn't funny, that he can't go running off like that, they need to plan--but her voice catches in her throat, and she knows even before Peeta says it that she's too late.

Haymitch's left hand holds three nightlock berries.


End file.
